


Little Dandelion, drifting away...

by Player_1



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Canon Divergence (BBS and Post-BBS), Castle Oblivion (Kingdom Hearts), Character Death (implied/mentioned), EXTREME CANON DIVERGENCE!!!, Forced Bonding (X-Blade wise), Gen, Nightmares, Nobody Transformation, Temporary Amnesia, Time Shenanigans mentioned, Union X canon divergence, Worldbuilding, memory loss mentioned, slight body horror, world-hopping shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24628180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Player_1/pseuds/Player_1
Summary: As a battle between Light and Darkness brews inside Ventus' heart, something deep inside awakens after four long years...At the same time, Aqua and King Mickey witness the results firsthand.
Relationships: Ephemer & Skuld & Ventus & Blaine & Lauriam (mentioned), Lauriam & Strelitzia (mentioned), Terra & Aqua & Ventus & Eraqus (mentioned), Terra & Aqua & Ventus (mentioned), Ventus & Chirithy (mentioned), Ventus & Strelitzia
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a battle between Light and Darkness brews inside Ventus' heart, something deep inside awakens after four long years...  
> At the same time, Aqua and King Mickey witness the results firsthand.

No matter how naive I was before, from the years living at the Land of Departure or the first step I took out the world's borders, all of this would become a battle for my very life. While it could've been because of the Unversed or Vanitas threatening the balance, evil still crawled in the deepest corners of the brightest worlds, be it a mischievous pussy-cat or an evil dragonic sorceress.

Of course, there were more people to meet and places to go to than I would ever imagine...Snow White and the Dwarves, Aurora and the Fairies, Cinderella and Jaque, Lea and Isa, King Mickey and Queen Minnie, Stitch, Peter Pan and so many more...  
But the one thing I wanted to do in all the Worlds was spend all this time with Terra and Aqua, minus the Unversed of course.

Traveling across the Worlds with my friends was one of the greatest things I could ever ask for; helping people in need, banishing the Darkness away, or even laugh about all our adventures would have been a dream come true for me.

  
We promised under the stars that we would be together, Keyblade wielders alike, and I still believe in that.  
I wanted us to be friends with the Princesses of Light.  
I wanted us to explore the Worlds beyond, both old and new.  
I wanted us to fly around Neverland on pixie dust.  
I wanted us to play games and have ice cream at Disney Town.  
I wanted us to watch the stars and meteor showers and just keep dreaming and dreaming of something nice...

I just wanted us to be happy...Is that too much to ask?

  
 _'I want you to end me.'_  
Our Keyblades clashed for the umpteenth time right now, sparks burning brighter than the stained glass at my feet. Even if we were at equal odds, I could see Vanitas getting dangerously impatient, eyes burning with an inferno full of malice and spite.

I wanted to do whatever it took to keep my friends safe, battle through thick and thin to see them again. After all, that's what I've been doing against Master Eraqus' orders.   
I wanted Terra to be safe from the Darkness, and I wanted Aqua to know I'm not a weak little kid anymore.  
Whatever it takes, I wanted us to be together again...

But why?  
Why did I ask them to kill me?

Dark Firagra whirled through the air like comets, their deceptively harsh flames licking at my skin and clothes from inches away. A quick Aero spell and the smoke cleared, a constant tug-at-war between strength and finesse.

It was a do-or-die situation, I knew that...But why was I so scared about fighting?  
Why was I so scared of fighting Vanitas? Was I just scared of what he'd do with my friends?  
Maybe that was it...But then I panicked.  
I wanted all of us to fight him, to defeat him once and for all, I knew what I had to do...

Metal upon metal grinded against each other, his voice growling against my ear, but I couldn't hear either of them.

I'm not weak, and I'm definitely not a coward.  
I may not be as strong as Terra and Aqua, not even close the Master himself, but I'm strong in my own way...

_'The X-Blade is made from your heart too, idiot. If you destroy it, your heart will vanish forever.'_   
_'Whatever it takes, I'll do this to save my friends...'_

But why...Why did it have to come to this?  
Why did I even let this happen?  
I never wanted this...

A kind, gentle, caring hand pressed against my shoulder; I barely kept my tears back as it was only a phantom, a passing daydream of hope.

If I win, I'll destroy myself from the inside out.  
If I lose, Vanitas will fulfill his wicked promise.  
But none of this was supposed to happen...If I was just a little bit faster, a little bit stronger, I wouldn't be here in the first place.  
I've been fighting my own battles, all for my friends' sake, and this will just be my last.

Against my better judgment, against my lingering will to live, a single tear slipped from my cheek, disappearing into the split canvas.

I was so naive, so dumb and optimistic. As if everything will end with a Happily Ever After...

  
A light, a flash, a tremor went through the Station of Awakening as Vanitas and I jumped back for distance. Within the withering machinations of our heart, there were the sounds of a lock clicking open...  
Fury burned through me once more, glaring at my other half, Wayward Winds was held in a white-knuckled grip as I charged up another spell and-  
I felt my foot rooted to the floor, my heart dropping to the pit of my stomach as I saw the cause.   
The ichorous maw of Darkness clawed at my legs, the syrupy ink freezing my blood solid with shock.

 _"-What did you do!?"_ Another chill went up my spine as my dark half was completely blank, just as expressionless as a doll. The X-Blade was slack in his grip, as if it was just a simple toy.  
Even if that same smog and ink lapped at his feet as well, he didn't make a single reaction. All he did was stare at me...  
And as Darkness began to pour in from the border between our hearts; our ill-fated divide, he fell to his knees and laughed, the X-Blade quickly forgotten.

 **"This is it! After all this time... It's finally happening, Ventus, our union has begun!"** His hands clawed deeper into the depths while I desperately struggled against it; **"There's no use fighting it anymore! This is how it was meant to be!"**  
And as the fables were told of long ago, the last bits of colored light were consumed in this treacherous muck, stealing the air out of my lungs as I gasped for breath.

_I wanted the three us to be happy...Is that too much to ask for?_

The relentless tide made not a moment of rest, even if my own strength was fading in return.

_After all this time, after all these adventures, I'll never be able to look at the stars again..._

I still kept reaching out, hoping and praying for my saving grace.

_Aqua...Terra...I'm so sorry..._

All there was to see was the endless dark, nothing to see below or above...  
And just like that, the Light of my heart faded into Darkness.

~~~~

Far across the Lanes Between, on a minuscule island shoal, an innocent soul cried for the ones beyond the stars.  
"Maybe you can open up your heart and listen." The boy's friend suggested, both so naive and full of imagination about all those lives past the shore.  
So the little brunette clenched his fists and closed his eyes, looking deep inside for that strange but mystical connection.

Falling.  
Falling.  
Falling...Deeper and deeper into the depths of that bright little heart.

"Hey, can you hear me?" He called into the dark, waiting for that desperate reply.  
Waiting.  
Waiting.  
Waiting...

The connection was frayed and broken.  
There was no saving what was already lost.

~~~~

I awoke to the taste of dust in my mouth, muscles and bone aching under the harsh dead earth. Right by my side was the mouse toon I met at Radiant Garden, clearly worrying about my safety and Ven's.  
 _And what about him? Xehanort froze him and then that Braig guy showed up...And Vanitas, he-_  
Rainfell quickly came into my grasp as I was already up on my feet, scanning the desolate wasteland despite my body aching for rest.

Fortunately, or unfortunately enough, there was not a sight nor sound of that eyepatched marauder or Vanitas; keeping my sights on Ven himself, staring at his feet with not a single noise.

"Ven!" My Key was easily dismissed, placing a caring hand on his shoulder, still completely silent.  
 _But I don't know why...He looks fine, there's not a single scratch on him...So why is he acting like this?_  
"Ven, what's the matter? Are you okay?" Not even a twitch, all there was to see was his chest rising and falling; "Ven please, answer me!"  
The mouse King kept to my side, worry etched on his face as he was also hoping for Ven to respond.

Finally, and thankfully enough, the young blonde began to stir; sky-blue eyes lazily drifting up and at me. My heart began to darken as I stared into those familiar orbs, the same ones that held not a single spark in response.

  
"...Where am I?" He murmured to himself, as if he just woke up from a dream. To the left and to the right, to the cloud-streaked sky and to the pale earth below. "Why am I in...the Graveyard?"  
Time and time again, as Ven was staring straight at me, it seemed like he was looking straight through me...

"Ven..." I squeezed his shoulder just a little harder, hoping to get the message across; "Ven, what's wrong?"  
Finally, and thankfully enough, clarity began to return in his eyes; his mind racing on what to say and-

He flinched like he touched a hot stove, eyes wide with shock and filled with so many of the wrong signals.  
"-Who are you? What are you doing here!?" He warily stepped back as I was rooted to the ground; "I have no idea how or why you're here, but you need to leave, you don't belong here!"

_But-...What about the war?_   
_What about Master Xehanort?_   
_What about Kingdom Hearts floating just above our heads?_   
_Please Ven, I don't know what happened to you, but you need to remember something...For Terra's sake, for my sake..._

"Ven...don't you remember me?" Finally, unfortunately enough, I took a cautionary step forward, "It's me, Aqua...I'm your frie-"  
"-GO AWAY!" He stepped too far from the rocky pedestal, letting out a surprised yelp as he tumbled through the dirt and dust.

" "Ven!" " Mickey and I shouted, hesitating as he backed himself into the spire wall.  
 _"_ I don't-...I don't know you..." Even from this arguable distance, I could see Ven border hyperventilating; "You're not my friend...What did you do to them? What did you do to me!?"

We just wanted to make sure you were safe...The words were stuck in my throat, but nothing would calm him either way.  
"I know something happened, I just know it..." He curled closer to himself, muttering to no one but thin air; "Where did you go? I don't want to be alone again..."

  
Ven, please...I'm right here.  
No matter how far apart we are, we'll always be connected...

"Ephemer, Skuld, Blaine, Lauriam...Where are you?" Predictably enough, the King and I gasped to ourselves on this revelation.

As much as I hate to admit it, but this is surprising news...  
Does he remember what happened before?

But the anticipation quickly died down as Ven began to sob in his arms, hoping for the ones he truly called his own.

But at a time and place like this...  
What did he do to deserve forgetting us?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning to the Land of Departure, Aqua finds her childhood home ravaged to pieces from the Darkness Xehanort wrought.  
> But their old training grounds wasn't the only thing that changed...

The Lanes Between were quiet and peaceful in their own manner, but nothing could erase the disturbing tranquility my dear friend provided. All he was doing was watch the Worlds go by and keep a firm grip on the Glider, nothing more and nothing less.

_'If it makes you feel better, I'll head back to Master Yen Sid. He'll know what's wrong with Ven.' Mickey confidently proposed, almost ignoring the do-or-die situation Terra was going through at the Graveyard's peak._  
 _'Alright...And if it helps him remember us, I'll take him back home.'_ _At least I finally have a reason..._ _I held my Wayfinder in my palm, hoping and praying from the bottom of my heart that our problems will change for the better._

_'Terra, I hope we all get through this...I still have fate in you.'_

I didn't have the heart to turn around, to see Ven continuing to ignore me like the plague. Dwarf Woodlands, Enchanted Dominion, Castle of Dreams, so many Worlds and more, but he showed not a single sign of familiarity.

_Don't worry...You can't just forget four years of your life, not in this world..._

  
But as the dreary courtyard came into view, my heart sank into the abyss.  
What was once the comforting Light-filled Land of Departure was swept away with the wind; stone walkways cracked and withered, lanterns snuffed out in the gloom, and very air itself threatened to suffocate the hope within me. And right on the doorstep of the castle, all alone without its kind and caring owner, was Master Eraqus' Keyblade.

_'I promise you I will bring Terra back...Only this time, you'll see that he has what it takes to be a Master.'_  
 _Even if you're gone, I'll still keep my promise...Terra hasn't succumbed to the Darkness yet, and Ven's here with me, so I still have a fighting chance._  
And so, with a disconcerting sigh, I stooped down to pick his Key up from the earth and-

"-What are you doing!?" His voice cut through the gloom, something so harsh and accusatory that I could only flinch.  
"I-...Ven, this is-"  
"I don't care who's it was, don't take it!" He was quick to my side, eyes burning with all the wrong emotions, especially over our Master's abandoned Key.

_Ven, this isn't like you...What happened to the kid we knew for so long?_  
Biting back the tears, I stepped back from the hilt.  
"...This was our Master's Keyblade. Xehanort struck him down." The anger died down, but only for his previous outburst; "I was given the title before I left, and I wanted to make sure Terra proved himself to be worthy of becoming a Master too."  
 _"_ Oh, I see..." He lowered his head, taking it all in, "But you shouldn't take someone else's Keyblade so soon." Even with his change in tone, this was new information, especially coming from Ven himself.

"What do you mean by that?"  
"Keyblades are connected to the heart, and a person's heart can be different from someone else's; so you can't just take someone's Keyblade like that, it'll reject them." Then, for some odd reason, he raised his brow like he just stated the obvious; "That should be the first thing you should know as a Master, to be honest."

As if _you_ know anything about being a Master...But I never really considered the possibility. Why would someone want to take someone else's Keyblade? Unless it was properly inherited, there shouldn't be any problem about it.  
But still...

' _Should anything happen to me and you find the legion of Darkness at our doorstep...I ask that you take my Keyblade and use it to lock this land away. Light and Darkness exist in balance here, and there are those who would abuse these neutral grounds. This is why our predecessors devised this certain trick.'_  
 _Even if Xehanort was so bent on tearing our friendship apart, our home apart, all for the X-Blade and the Keyblade War...Who knows what might happen if he returns..._

  
"Is there anything I can do?" As Ven hummed to himself in thought, I continued; "This Keyblade was passed down from generations to protect this world...Now it's my responsibility to make sure it's safe."  
Then as Ven nodded aloud, he took the Key's base in his hands.

"Then we'll just have to do this." Without a second of hesitation, he drove the blade into the decrepit earth, then comfortably rested a hand on the scabbard. "We need to purify the Keyblade first."

"...Purify it?"  
"You know, from any ill-intent from the owner. It's better safe than sorry, really..." He knowingly strummed his fingers on the metal; "Come on, put your hand on top of mine."  
I nodded, hesitated so, as I curled my hand on his.

  
"Okay, let's get started..." Ven took a deep breath, preparing himself for the rite; "State the wielder's name."  
"Eraqus. Keyblade Master Eraqus."  
But you should know this...he took you in since the beginning...

"And the ones who followed close behind?" I assumed he meant apprentices, so I answered.  
"Terra and myself, Aqua..." And you too, Ven...  
  
"Alright..." And with another deep breath, he began; "Master Eraqus, Keyblade wielder of hope and balance, we have gathered here today to give you the rest you deserve. Your battles will be told through the minds of the bright and your name will be carved into the hearts of the kind. Terra and Aqua, though saddened by your departure, will come to follow in your footsteps; raising alike minds and beliefs on your teachings of the Keyblade. If your soul may linger in your work, understand that future Masters like yourself will hold this mantle in your honor."

Another breath, another suffocating moment of silence.  
"Master Aqua?"  
"Y-Yes?" An involuntary shiver ran up my spine, heart hammering in my chest.  
"Place your remaining hand on the hilt." I nodded once more, gripping the metal unconsciously tight.  
It still felt warm...

"Wielders and Masters of ages past, I ask of you to grant this heart the strength and conviction to wield this blade. And to the heart sleeping inside, I ask of you to grant them an eternity of peace. Eraqus, though your story has come to a close, it will never be forgotten. May the One True Light accept you kindly..."

  
Finally, he slipped his hand out from under mine, and it was all over. 

"That-...That was beautiful." I softly sniffled a tear away, "Who knew you had it in you."  
"Don't mention it, I had to help someone in need." He grinned at me, something so uncharacteristically bright at this time and event; "Besides, this is the first time I've ever done this, and for a Master too!" 

My heart turned to stone in an instant.

_That doesn't make sense...We're back home, I told you our names, and still you-...  
_ _Ven, what happened to you?_  
 _Why can't you remember us?_

Still, I said nothing back as Ven pulled the Key out from the rigid stone, handing it to me like a king's royal staff.  
"Here you go, Master Aqua. You need it to protect this world, right?"   
Unfortunately so, I let out a dry chuckle. "I hate to say it Ven, but there's not much to protect here..."   
  
And as desolate the training grounds have become, the same could be said for the castle itself. Not a single shimmer of sunlight flitted through the windows, shadows long and somber blanketing the once welcoming corridors. Shards and bits of marble littered the floor, surely marking the rabid destruction the Darkness created in its wake.   
_Out of all the worlds that have suffered through Xehanort's ill-intent, this hurts me far more than anything I've ever known..._

"But you can still fix it...I know you can, you're a Master after all."   
But you can't fix what's already broken...

I turned to the triage of thrones, more so the one who hid the world's seal in plain sight, the silence festering in my thoughts. Even if I am a Master, there are times where a difficult choice needs to be made.

"Ven, I want you to do something very important right now." I kneeled down to meet his eyes, a caring hand upon his shoulder; "While I go out to find Terra, I need you to stay here, understand?"  
"I understand..." With a considerate nod, he glanced at the Keyblade still in his hands; "But what about this? Don't you need it?"   
I could only shake my head, "This Keyblade is tied to this world, so you need to keep a close eye on it."  
There wasn't a single sign of fuss, not even a retort on how he's strong enough to be by my side, nothing...The seconds carved deep wounds in my heart the longer I waited for something remotely reassuring.

"But what I'm saying is-...If I don't make it back, I want you to lock this world away. That's what Eraqus would have wanted."   
That's what Terra would have wanted too...

"Okay, I'll do my best..." He quietly bit his lip, clearly hesitating on what to say; "Oh, and Aqua?"   
"Yes? What is it?" _Please Ven, for the Light above, come back to your senses..._

"I just wanted to say that-...I'm sorry for getting on the wrong foot with you earlier." He bowed his head, his grip clearly turning bone-white; "You're a lot nicer than my old Master...You were acting so friendly with me and my head didn't feel like it was in the right place at the time, so I just... _acted out_ for no reason on you. -So, yeah, I apologize for that, I didn't mean to upset you."   
"Don't worry about that, I appreciate the honesty." Likewise, I bit my cheek for the possibilities, "Do you mind telling me who your Master was?"  
Please let it be Eraqus, or in the very least Xehanort...At least that will justify what he's d-

"It was Master Aced. I didn't see him too much, all he ever cared about were the stronger wielders...-Oh, I almost forgot! Good luck on finding your friend, Master Aqua!" And with another bow, he scurried off to the decimated unknowns of the castle.  
  


...Aced?   
I know I want to find Terra, I _need_ to, but-...  
Ven, I need to know where your heart has strayed off to...

~~

As I arrived back to Yen Sid's chamber, their murmurs and hushed conversations fell at my presence.   
  
"So you have returned once more, Master Aqua." The old wizard noted, while Donald and Goofy politely nodded as well; "I assumed you returned home as well?"  
"I'm afraid so, Master..." I lowered my head, my chest still aching with betrayal; "Whatever happened to Ven in the Graveyard, he doesn't recognize anything from before...It's like he's an entirely different person."  
"That seems to be the case. We can only assume that, by some miracle, his memories of the past resurfaced in his heart."

"Wait, you don't mean-..." _  
But that doesn't seem right...Terra and I treated him with love and care for so long..._  
 _Why would that battle help him remember?_  
  
"Though they may be speculations for now, the evidence Mickey provided is indisputable." With a wave of his hand, the tome on his desk fluttered open; "You remember the ones he called his friends, yes?"  
"I do, but I've never heard of any of them...except-"  
"Blaine, I assume?" His face was blank, as if carved from stone; "Or in more understandable terms, Keyblade Master Blaine?"

  
_Master Blaine!?_   
_Yes, I remember now...Eraqus told stories about him when we were younger. One of the first Masters of the Worlds, the one who built the Keyblade's legacy from the ground up..._   
_But how in the world would Ven know about him?_

"Yes, as outlandish as that may sound, it appears that they once had a close connection to each other long ago." Yen Sid calmly explained, "As for the others, we can only assume that they were Keyblade wielders alongside Ventus. But the question on how they would cross paths remains a mystery."  
  
 _Of course it's a mystery...  
_ _Ven's still so young, there's no way he would call one of the first Masters a friend...  
But still..._

"Ven told me he had a Master before, one that focused on power and strength." Before they made any assumptions, I continued; "He said their name was Master Aced, but that proved that Xehanort wasn't his first Master. But it doesn't make sense...What happened to him for Ven to be apprenticed to Xehanort?"

"These answers will come with time, Master Aqua. What's important right now is ensuring Terra's safety from the clutches of Darkness."  
"I understand." I pulled out my Wayfinder, its presence comforting me immensely; "Don't worry, I think I know where to find him." 

"And I'm coming with you, we'll go save Terra together!" Mickey proudly proclaimed, while his equally-enthusiastic friends cheered alongside him.  
"Yeah, no one gets left behind!"   
  
"Thank you for that," I quietly chuckled, "but would it be alright if you just keep an eye on Ven? Mickey, I can do this myself. You've done so much for us before."  
"But we'll do the best we can, Master Aqua!" Donald puffed his chest up in pride; "And we'll make sure he remembers us too!"

_That's right...Ven touched the hearts of so many people in our journey.  
_ _Even if he forgets them, there's no way they will forget him..._

~~~~

It was already becoming nightfall, with what little space the clouds made to reveal a star-streaked sky, when I was running low on patience. While I do know that time in the Worlds flows differently others, I just wish there was another way to pass the time. Reading from the withered study, exploring the desolate corridors, or twiddling my thumbs on the thrones' pedestal will only get me so far.

_I know you care about your friend, Master Aqua, but I care about mine.  
_ _And as far as I know, I have no idea where they are..._

I sighed to myself for the umpteenth time, looking at the sky through the broken stained-glass.

_It all just feels like a dream to me...  
_ _I wake up in the Keyblade Graveyard with a strange Master and a talking mouse calling me by my "best friends only" nickname, Chirithy's gone, and none of my friends could be seen for miles.  
Then the Master takes me to 'our' home and entrusts me to lock this world with her past teacher's Keyblade.   
_ _Still, I can't wrap my head around it...  
_ _If the Ven they want is different to myself, then what would be the time when the "dream" me began?  
_ _But if that's the case... When did I fall asleep and how long have I been asleep?_

Even as I was pondering the questions to myself, I sat up from my guardpost with a huff.

_But that doesn't matter right now, what matters is finding the other Leaders.  
_ _I have way more important things on my mind right now, like protecting the Worlds from Darkness and whatnot.  
And if you really think I'm just going to sit here doing house-sitting, then you got another thing coming!_

  
With a quick circle around the platform, I stopped short of the middlemost throne that thrummed with magic, the Keyhole shimmering to existence at the Keyblade's call.   
_So I just need to lock the world, and I'll be free at last._  
With a steady breath, my hands firm against the staff-like blade, I lined up the teeth to the world's link. 

"Okay, here's goes nothing..." And with a determined grunt, I thrust the blade to the Keyhole, now radiating a blinding white light in response; "Come on world, work with me here!" Inch by inch I pushed myself forward, my eyes screwed shut as this unnatural radiance overtook everything in the room.

Finally, thankfully enough, the lock clicked shut and I finally opened my eyes.

  
What was once a broken castle hall was replaced inch by inch in an unnatural white, its protective spell softly rumbling in the ingrained chains; the throne also drenched in a similar marble coat.  
 _Man, and here I thought I was just locking the Heartless away...Whoever this Master was, he seemed pretty determined to keep this world safe._

On that note as well, I turned to the Master's Key with slight relief.  
"Okay then, return to your wielder, your work here is done for now." With a slight thrum, it vanished in a flurry of sparks, now back to the one who rightfully wields it.

_And just like that, my work here is done...  
I can't wait to tell my friends about this, they'll never believe it!_

As a grin crept onto my face, I traced my hand alongside the sleek armrest.

_To be honest, I don't know why Aqua placed this kind of responsibility on me.  
I mean, I am a Dandelion after all, but this kind of duty should be for the Masters only.  
I have my own things to worry about too..._

The thought weighed heavy on my heart, but as I put a hand to my chest it brushed against something metal. With a swift pull, the token was cut free as the fabric framing my form trailed alongside it; and as the silver burned more brightly with the altered world, the smile on my lips fell in an instant.

_This is the same symbol as her...So this must be from Master Eraqus.  
_ _Is that why she's been treating me like a kid?_

Without a second thought, I placed the metal on the seat, taking my sweet time arranging the black cloth into an X.

_The person she knew is gone now...  
_ _Just like this world, I've changed for the better, and there's no way you can change a person's heart._

And with the declaration in mind, I finally left this fantasy behind.

~~

I quickly realized that, while the castle's interior was altered into winding blank halls and twisting corridors, it was nothing compared to the exterior. Spires, gates, and gargoyles littered the establishment, twisting and tearing apart the once-pristine image this world had created.

_Now that I think about it, didn't Master Aqua say she just got inducted recently?_   
_Does she even know about this?_   
_If I was her, I would definitely get upset about this._

Even so, I dug my hands into my jacket and happily spun around, leisurely strolling down the lonely trail.

_Oh well, I did what I was supposed to here. Now I have to the chance to kick some Heartless butt and find my friends!_   
_I just need to pick a world and I'll b-_

" "-Ven!" " I turned around a second too late as I was blindsided by a hug from a rather...unusual duo of creatures. The tall and lanky one was more like a dog while the other was a tell-tale duck; short, feathery, and surprisingly snippy.

"Gawrsh Ven, we were so worried about you."  
"Yeah, so we're comin' with ya!" 

_...What in the world is going on right now?_   
_And here I thought Master Aqua knowing me was weird..._

Thankfully enough, they backed away from the embrace before I could force them off.  
"Okay okay, you got me..." I nervously laughed, "What are you guys doing here?"  
"We're here to find your friends!" The duck eagerly quacked, "Aqua's your friend, and she wants to make sure you're safe."

  
_She's not my friend!_  
I was just hanging on a thread at this point, just trying so hard not to scream in these toons' faces that they don't know me.  
No matter what they say or do, they don't know the real me...

So I silently prayed to the Light above, begging to keep my cool for just a few more seconds, as I put on a fake smile.  
"I appreciate the offer, you two, but I'm gonna have to turn that down." I put my arms behind my head, hiding my trembling fingers; "I'm sorry, but I know my friends better than anyone else, so I'm going to find them for sure!"

Their faces morphed to an unusual blend of shock and surprise, but I ignored it either way.  
"I'll get going now. Hope you have a safe trip!"

With the Light in my heart burning like an inferno, Missing Ache came easily to my command, the blade burning bright as that familiar white corridor was pulled into being.  
 _  
I'm fine on my own...But we'll be back together in no time._

And as their desperate cries fell onto deaf ears, I finally began my journey through the Worlds beyond.


End file.
